Prophets of Islam
From Free net encyclopedia
| Part of the series on |
| Beliefs and practices |
|
Oneness of God |
| Major figures |
|
Muhammad |
| Texts & Laws |
|
Qur'an • Hadith • Sharia |
| Branches of Islam |
| Sociopolitical aspects |
|
Academics • Philosophy |
| See also |
The Qur'an identifies a number of men as Prophets of Islam (Arabic: nabee نبي ; pl. anbiyaa أنبياء ). Muslims believe such individuals were assigned a special mission by God (Arabic: Allah) to guide humanity. Besides Muhammad, this includes other Abrahamic prophets such as Moses and Jesus.
Accoring to the Islamic creed, the essence of all the prophets’ (Arabic: nabee نبي ; pl. anbiyaa أنبياء ) messages is what Islam calls for: worshiping Almighty Allah alone and rejecting false deities. Islam is the religion of all prophets in human history ; all of them called for what Islam calls for, and so they declared belief in Islam (See References). The message of Islam resembles the messages of all previous prophets of Almighty Allah. Quran says: (Ibrahim was not a Jew nor a Christian, but he was (an) upright (man), a Muslim, and he was not one of the polytheists) (Aal `Imran 3: 67). Such individuals are believed by Muslims to have been assigned a special mission by God (Arabic: Allah) to guide the whole or a group of the mankind, depending on the mission assigned to each.
Allah (God) is believed to have instructed each of these prophets to warn his community against evil and urge his people to obey Allah. Although only 25 prophets are mentioned by name in the Qur'an, a Hadith (no. 21257 in Musnad Ibn Hanbal) mentions that there were 124,000 of them in total throughout history, and the Qur'an says that Allah has sent a prophet to every group of people throughout time, and that Muhammad is the last of the Prophets. In general, Muslims regard the stories of the Qur'an as historical. The message of all the prophets is believed to be the same. Many of these prophets are also found in the holy texts of Judaism (The Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings; collectively known as the Old Testament to Christians) and Christianity. <ref name=”texts”>The Bible; containing both the Old and New Testaments (see Similarities between the Bible and the Qur'an)</ref>
Only a tiny minority are believed to have been sent holy books (such as the Tawrat, Zabur, Injil and the Qur'an), and those prophets are considered "messengers" or rasūl. Muhammad is regarded in Islamic belief as having undertaken a prophetic mission addressed to all of humanity rather than a specific populace, although both Adam and Nuh did indeed address all of humanity during their prophethood. Muslims believe in all the prophets (nabi) and in all messengers (rasul) sent by Allah. Some are held to be of high esteem (ulul azmi) and are mentioned by name in the Qur'an. The difference between prophets and messengers is that although all received revelation (wahi) from Allah, the messengers received a divine code of life or "Sharia" in the form of a holy book.
The first prophet is Adam, while the last prophet is Muhammad, thus his title Seal of the Prophets. Jesus is the result of a virgin birth in Islam as in Christianity, and is regarded as a prophet like the others, and as the Messiah.<ref name=”isa”>see Qur'an 3:45</ref> In the Bahá'í Faith, which arose from Islam, it is believed that with the mystic unity of the Prophets (as reference has been made in Islam to Muhammad being the same in spirit with earlier Prophets as well), the term "seal of the prophets" could apply to all of the prophets and as such does not restrict Allah from sending further revelations to humanity through subsequent prophets, any of whom could be considered the "seal of the prophets." Muslims, however, regard this as heresy.
Traditionally, five prophets are regarded as especially important in Islam: Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus) and Muhammad. Although it offers many incidents from the lives of many prophets, the Qur'an focuses with special narrative and rhetorical emphasis on the careers of the first four of these five major prophets. Of all the figures before Muhammad, Moses is referred to most frequently in the Qur'an. (As for the fifth, the Qur'an is frequently addressed directly to Muhammad, and it often discusses situations encountered by him. Direct use of his name in the text, however, is rare.)
Prophets in the Qur'an
The following are named as prophets in the Qur'an; their biblical names are given in parentheses.
Adam آدم
Adam is the first prophet of Islam and, according to Islamic tradition, the first human being. He was created by Allah but brought to life forty days after being kept as a dry body. He is an important figure in Judaism and Christianity as well and he is best known for the story of Adam and Eve.
Idris (Enoch) ادريس
In Islam, Idris lived during a period of drought inflicted by Allah to punish the people of the world who had forgotten him. Idris prayed to Allah for salvation and an end to the suffering and so the world received rain. Idris is also credited in Islam with introducing writing, astronomy, and mathematics.
Nuh (Noah) نوح
Although best known for the Deluge, Nuh was a primary preacher of monotheism at his time. According to Islamic tradition, it was this faithfulness to Allah that led to his selection for building the Ark that would continue life on Earth. In contrast with Christian and Jewish traditions which say the Deluge was a global event, there is some difference in opinion in Islam over whether the flood associated with Nuh was localized or global.
Hud (Heber) هود
According to Islam, Hud, for whom the eleventh sura of the Qur'an is named, was one of the few people to survive a great storm inflicted by Allah, like with the Deluge five generations earlier, to punish the people of the world who had forgotten about Allah.
Saleh (Shelah) صالح
According to the Qur'an, Saleh was ordered by Allah to leave behind his people after they disobeyed Allah's order to care for a camel and instead killed it. In Saleh's absence, Allah punished the people with a large earthquake.
Ibrahim (Abraham) ابراهيم
Ibrahim is regarded by Muslims today as one of the significant prophets as he is credited with building the Kaaba in Makkah. His family, including his son Ismail, is also credited with helping create the civilization around Makkah that would later give birth to the final prophet of Islam, Muhammad. Ibrahim is also noted for almost sacrificing his son Ismail for Allah in an event now commemorated annually by Eid ul-Adha.
Lut (Lot) لوط
Lut is most notable in Islam for attempting to preach against homosexuality in Sodom and Gomorra, only to be mocked and ignored by the people who lived there.
Ismail (Ishmael) اسماعيل
Ismail, first-born son of Ibrahim, is a notable prophet in Islam for his near-sacrifice in adulthood. According to Islamic tradition, as a child he and his mother Hagar's search for water in the region around Makkah led Allah to reveal the Zamzam Well which still flows to this day.
Ishaq (Isaac) اسحاق
According to Islamic tradition, Ishaq, second-born son of Ibrahim, became a prophet in Canaan. He, along with his brother Ismail, carried on the legacy of Ibrahim as prophets of Islam.
Yaqub (Jacob) يعقوب
Yaqub, according to the Qur'an was "of the company of the Elect and the Good"<ref name=”yaqub”>Yusuf Ali 38:47</ref> and he continued the legacy of both his father, Ishaq, and his grandfather, Ibrahim. Like his ancestors, he was committed to worshipping one Allah.
Yusuf (Joseph) يوسف
Yusuf, son of Yaqub and great-grandson of Ibrahim, became a prominent advisor to the pharaoh of Egypt since he was believed to have seen a dream that predicted the economic state of Egypt. He spent a large part of his life away from his eleven brothers, who, jealous of Yusuf's success, told their father Yaqub that Yusuf had died.
Ayub (Job) أيوب
According to Islamic tradition, Ayub was rewarded by a fountain of youth, which removed all illnesses except death, for his service to Allah in his hometown outside Al Majdal.
Shoaib (Jethro) شعيب
Shoaib was a direct descendant of Ibrahim. According to Islam, he was appointed by Allah to guide the people of Midyan and Aykah, who lived near Mount Sinai. When the people of the region failed to listen to his warnings, Allah destroyed the disbeliever's villages.
Musa (Moses) موسى
Musa, referred to in the Qur'an more than any other prophet, is significant for revealing the Tawrat to the Egyptians. The Qur'an says Musa realized his connection with Allah after receiving commands from him during a stop at Mount Sinai. He later went on to free the enslaved Hebrews after failing to convince the Egyptian pharaoh of Allah's power. Musa subsequently led the freed Hebrews for forty years through the desert on a long attempt to capture Canaan, the Promised Land. During this long journey, Musa received the Tawrat and the Ten Commandments during another trip to Mount Sinai. At the end of his life, according to Islamic tradition, Musa chose to die to be closer to Allah instead of taking an offer that would have extended his life.
Harun (Aaron) هارون
Harun served as an assistant to his elder brother Musa. In Islam, he, like Musa, was given the task of saving the Israelites from the Egyptian pharaoh. He would often speak for Musa when Musa’s speech impediment prevented him from doing so himself.
Dhul-Kifl (possibly Ezekiel or Gautama Buddha) ذو الكفل
The status of Dhul-Kifl as a prophet is debatable within Islam, although both sides can agree that he was indeed a righteous man who strived in the way of Allah. Some Muslims believe that Dhul-Kifl is in fact Gautama Buddha.
Daud (David) داود
In Islam, the Zabur (equated by some with the Psalms) were revealed to Daud by Allah. He is also significant as he is the one who defeated Goliath.
Sulayman (Solomon) سليمان
Sulayman learned a significant amount from his father Daud before being made a prophet by Allah. According to Islamic tradition, Sulayman was given power over all things, including the jinns. Known for his honesty and fairness, he also led a kingdom that extended into southern Arabia.
Ilyas (Elijah) إلياس
Ilyas, descendant of Harun, took over control of the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula after Sulayman's kingdom collapsed. Islamic tradition says he attempted to convince the people of the Peninsula of the existence of only one god, but when the people refused to listen they were smitten with a drought and famine.
Al-Yasa (Elisha) اليسع
Al-Yasa took over the job of leading the Israelites after Ilyas' death. He attempted to show the king and queen of Israel the powers of Allah, but was dismissed as a magician. Subsequently, the Assyrians were able to conquer the Israelites and inflict significant damage on them.
Yunus (Jonah) يونس
Islamic tradition shows that Yunus was commanded by Allah to help the people of Nineveh towards righteousness. However, after Nineveh's people refused to listen to God, he became disgruntled and started to ignore him. After an incident where Yunus was spared death, he decided to re-commit himself to striving for Allah, attempting to lead the people of Nineveh to righteousness. But after returning to evil, illicit ways, the Scythians conquered them. <ref name=”yunus”>Islam 101.com on Yunus</ref>
Zakariya (Zacharias) زكريا
A descendant of Sulayman, Zakariya was a patron of Maryam, mother of Isa. According to the Quran, he prayed to Allah asking for a son, since his sterile wife al-Yashbi could not provide one. Allah granted his wishes, temporarily lifting his wife's sterility and allowing her to give birth to Yahya. <ref name=”zaka”>[1] Islam 101.com on Zakariya</ref>
Yahya (John the Baptist) يحيى
Islam says that, throughout his lifetime, Yahya captivated audiences with his powerful sermons that preached monotheism.
Isa (Jesus) عيسى
One of the highest ranked prophets in Islam, Isa was sent to guide the Children of Israel. The Qur'an makes it very clear that in Islam, Isa is not the son of Allah, as Christianity teaches, but rather a prophet of Allah. He was able to perform many miracles but only by the will of Allah. Islamic traditions states that he committed his life to nonviolence and abstained from eating meat and drinking alcohol. It also states that he received the New Testament although the version seen today is different from the one revealed at the time. Muslims believe that Isa was not crucified on the cross, but is in heaven, waiting to return to Imam Mahdi to defeat the Dajjal.
Muhammad محمد
Muhammad is the most revered prophet in Islam and the only one who does not exist in either Judaism nor Christianity. Born in Makkah in 570 CE, Muhammad spent the first part of his life as a well-travelled merchant. He would often spend his time in the mountains surrounding Makkah in prayer contemplating the situation with the city. According to Islamic beliefs, at the age of forty during one of those trips to the mountain, Muhammad began to, despite his illiteracy, receive and recite verses from Allah which today make up the Qur'an. He quickly began to spread the message he was receiving, convincing a few others in the city, including his wife, to convert to Islam. He became the leader of those who had submitted to Allah (Muslims), setting up a new city (present-day Medina) away from the oppressors in Makkah. Muhammad served not just as a prophet, but as a military leader who helped defeat the Makkans in 624 during the Battle of Badr. He continued to lead the Muslims spreading Islam across the Arabian Peninsula. He performed the first hajj in 629 and established the form of Islam, with its five pillars still practiced by Muslims today. Others continued Muhammad's legacy after his death in 629 proclaiming themselves as caliphs (or successors) to Muhammad.
Other possible prophets
The following verses open up possibilities for prophets other than those mentioned in the Qur’an:
- "And certainly We sent messengers before you: there are some of them that We have mentioned to you and there are others whom We have not mentioned to you..." [40:78]
- "For We assuredly sent amongst every People a messenger..."[16:36]
The verses open up debate, and there is no strong consensus as to the other authentic Prophets.
Al-Khidr is not mentioned by name, but is traditionally assumed to be referred to in Qur'an 18:66.
Biblical prophets Danyal (Daniel) and Ishaia (Isaiah) are not mentioned in Qur'an but often revered as prophets.
Luqman is mentioned in the sura named after him but it is unclear whether he is a prophet or a wali.
Additional numerous historical figures may have been prophets, but this is a source of debate and contention, among them: Zoroaster, Gautama Buddha and Krishna. However, Muslims will state that there is no way of knowing for sure since they are not mentioned by name in the Qur'an. An argument often used in support of the prophethood of such men is that they came with the word of Allah, but it was later corrupted, this accounting for the differences between Islam, and the respective religions with which each man is associated. The Hadith and Qur’an support such claims that say that a messenger was sent to every people.
Mary the mother of Jesus is not normally regarded as a prophetess, but is regarded as having been sent a message from Allah via an angel. A few scholars (e.g. Ibn Hazm) have argued that she was a prophetess, but she is not mentioned in the Qur'an as one, and thus it cannot be definitely established if she is or isn't. The majority position among Islamic scholars is that no woman has received a prophetic mission from Allah.
See also
References
- Hoda, About.Com Guide.About.Com "Prophets of Islam: Since the beginning of time, God has sent prophets to teach His message". Retrieved April, 8, 2006.
- Dr. Yusuf Al-Qaradawi 15/Mar/2006."Was There Islam Before Prophet Muhammad's Mission?". Retrieved April, 8, 2006.
- Islam101.Com "Introductory Theology: Islam Explained: What is Islam?, withSuggested reading list". Retrieved April, 8, 2006.
- Dr. Abdullah Al-faqih 23/04/2003. "The Message of the Messengers". Retrieved April, 8, 2006.
- Islam - The Religion of All Prophets (www.islaam.ca) PDF article. Published: 2006. "Why do Muslims Believe that Muhammad (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) was a Messenger of God?". Retrieved April, 8, 2006.
<references/>
External links
- Ibn Hazm on women's prophethood
- family tree
- Trace of The Prophet
- itsIslam.net - Islamic Articles - Stories of Prophets
- - Are the Prophets equal?
- TurnToIslam.Com Muslim Belief of the Prophets, Following Abraham
Template:Prophets in the Qur'anda:Islams profeter fr:Prophètes de l'Islam he:נביאי האסלאם ko:이슬람의 예언자 id:Nabi Islam ms:Nabi pt:Profetas do Islão ru:Пророк в исламе